


Won’t You Be Mine, Neighbour

by jaime_les_corbeaux



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, the ocs are pretty much just two cute old ladies + assorted neighbours, they’re both idiots but I love them
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-20
Updated: 2020-02-01
Packaged: 2020-03-08 16:02:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 15,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18897982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jaime_les_corbeaux/pseuds/jaime_les_corbeaux
Summary: After handing his company over to Pepper Potts, Tony Stark moves to a quiet neighbourhood outside the city for a change of scenery. Luckily for him, his new neighbours are very nice, and one of them happens to be really cute.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Endgame still hurts so I need something nice and happy
> 
> This is my first multi-chapter fic! I’m pretty excited. 
> 
> Unbeta’d, and written on mobile lmao. Sorry for any mistakes!
> 
> (Also, in this au, Tony is 37, and Steve is 32.)
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

Tony sighed and collapsed onto the living room couch. He’d just finished unpacking everything, and felt exhausted. Rhodey had been over the day before to help him move furniture, but Tony had decided not to bother him today, thinking it would be easy, if annoying, to get everything else in place. 

Well, four hours later, his house actually looked like a home, and he felt like death. All Tony wanted was to rest for ten years, and he was about to lie down and try to have a nap, when the doorbell rang.

Tony groaned and got up, knowing that ignoring his new neighbours would definitely not be a good idea, even if it was what he wanted to do. He opened the door to a surprise. Two women who looked to be in their late seventies were standing on his doorstep. One of them had what Tony hoped was a box full of cookies. 

“Hello, dear!” said the one with what might be cookies. “I’m Beatrice, and this is Anna, my wife.” The other woman, wearing a bright red pair of glasses, smiled and waved. “Welcome to the neighbourhood!”

Tony couldn’t help but smile. “Nice to meet you two, I’m Tony.” He opened his door wider, and stepped to the side. “Would you like to come in? It’s actually not a mess at the moment, so this is a rare opportunity.”

Beatrice laughed, and she and Anna stepped in. Yep, those were definitely cookies. Tony felt his mouth water- he hadn’t eaten all day, and those smelled _very_ good. He closed his door and beckoned the two women into the living room, sitting down on the couch where he’d been about to take his nap just a minute ago. Cookies were much better than sleep.

Beatrice opened the box, and held it out to Tony with a smile. “Homemade chocolate chip cookies. My mother’s recipe. You’re lucky there are any left, Anna loves them!” Anna, the darn cookie thief, giggled, and stole one out of the box. Tony gasped in mock horror.

“How rude, stealing my cookies!” He grinned, and took the box. “Thank you, that’s really kind.” Beatrice nodded.

“You’re welcome, dear.”

Tony smiled at her, then took a bite, and gasped. “Beatrice, are you a magician, because these are...these are the best cookies I’ve ever had.”

Anna raised her eyebrows. “Exactly! Now you see why I steal them.” 

“Anna darling, I’m so sorry for my previous comments, I would now do the same.” Tony took another cookie, and Beatrice laughed.

“Why thank you, dear. Everyone loves my cookies.”

Tony nodded. “You could make anyone do anything if you offered them these.”

Beatrice smiled, and winked. “That’s the plan.”

They continued to chat, and Tony somehow managed to stop himself from eating twenty cookies and making himself sick. He learned that Beatrice and Anna had been together for over forty years, but only married for eight, since gay marriage was legalized. They’d lived in the house next door for about 17 years, and welcomed everyone currently living on the street with Beatrice’s cookies. 

About an hour later, Beatrice sighed. “Well, Anna, we’d better get going.” She kissed Tony on the cheek. “Take care, dear. I do believe your other next-door neighbour will be over soon, you’ll like him.” Wait- did she wink? Tony wasn’t sure if he imagined it or not, but Beatrice and Anna were out the door before he could ask. He waved, then went back to the living room with a sigh. He brought the cookies to the kitchen, the went back to the living room and lay down on the couch with a groan. Though he was sure his other neighbour was lovely, he didn’t think he could handle more social interaction that day.

Just as Tony was contemplating that nap he’d skipped earlier, the doorbell rang again. Great. He managed to get up, and opened the door for the second time that day.

Oh, shit.

A very handsome man stood on Tony’s doorstep. The man smiled, and gave a little wave with his right hand, the other one holding a box. More food! Maybe meeting neighbours wasn’t so bad, after all.

“Hey, I’m Steve, I live next door. Welcome to the neighbourhood!” Steve shifted so he was holding the box with both hands, and held it out. “I, uh, brought a pie. Apple. Hope you’re not allergic or anything.” Was he blushing? Tony now understood why Beatrice had winked. He smiled.

“I’m Tony.” He chuckled a little. “Lucky for you, I’m not allergic to apples. Is that a thing? Apple allergies?” He shook his head, and took a step back. “Come on in. Thank you, by the way, for the pie.” Steve smiled and ducked his head, walking in past Tony. 

Tony waited for Steve to get his coat and shoes off, before heading into the kitchen. “You can put it down on the counter. I’d take a piece, but I’m already stuffed.” Steve laughed.

“I see you’ve already met Bea and Anna, then.” He put the pie down next to the cookies, and grinned. “Those cookies are amazing.”

“Yeah, I swear it must be witchcraft.” Tony smiled at Steve, and their eyes met. Damn, Steve’s eyes were really blue. Tony wanted to get closer, and try to pinpoint their exact shade. 

He realized he was staring, and looked away, clearing his throat. “Uh, would you like tea or anything? Cookies?” He got out two mugs, trying to shove down the urge to turn around.

“Oh, sure. Just earl grey is fine, thanks.” Tony nodded, and put on the kettle. He didn’t trust himself to not continue to stare if he turned back to Steve, and so he busied himself with getting out the teabags. Truthfully, Tony didn’t really like tea, so he just had an old box that he’d only touched a few times. Hopefully tea didn’t go bad, or anything. That would be embarrassing.

“So,” Steve said, breaking the silence, “what made you decide to move out here?” 

Tony swallowed, and turned around, willing himself not to stare. “Well, I was CEO of a company in good old New York, New York. It just sort of became too much, so I handed it over to my good friend, Pepper. She’s more than capable, I really should have done it sooner.” He shrugged. “I’d still like to go out and work with R&D sometimes, or something like that. I’m an engineer, I love it, I don’t want to just stop.” He sighed. “I just...I never really wanted that company. Now I’m free to do whatever I want, pretty much.”

Tony looked up at Steve, and smiled a little. “Sorry for that, I’ll try not to dump my entire tragic backstory on you.” Steve shook his head.

“Don’t be. I did ask.” He paused. “Well, I’m glad you’re happy.” Tony shrugged again.

“Yeah, thanks.” After a short pause, he was luckily saved from having to find something else to talk about by the kettle shrieking. He poured the boiling water into the waiting mugs, then looked over his shoulder at Steve. “Milk, cream, sugar...?”

Steve smiled. “Just a little bit of milk and sugar is fine.” Tony nodded, and went over to the fridge, grabbing the milk. He got the tea ready, and handed one mug to Steve. 

“Careful, it’s hot.” Steve nodded, and took it.

“Thank you.” 

“No problem. You gave me a pie, it’s the least I could do.” Tony tilted his head. “Want to go over to the living room?”

“Only if you have comfortable chairs.” Steve smiled, and followed Tony over. Tony put his mug down and plopped down on the couch with a sigh. To his horror, Steve sat next to him. “Nice place.”

Tony took a moment to process what Steve had said, his brain shorting out due to their proximity. “Um, uh, thanks. As I told Beatrice and Anna, you’re lucky, you get to see the rare sight that is my house not in a complete mess.” 

Steve chuckled. “I feel honoured.” 

“You should.” Tony smiled. Huh, Steve’s eyes had some green in them. That was nice. Shit, he was staring again. Tony shook himself, and turned away to grab his mug and take a sip. This was just embarrassing. 

Steve suddenly cleared his throat, and Tony turned back to him, one eyebrow raised. “Uh, sorry, but I’m going to have to get serious here.”

Tony felt his heart drop. Great, Steve had noticed Tony’s...feelings (gross, but the only word he could think of at the moment,) and was now going to let him down gently. Steve was probably straight. He probably had a girlfriend, there was no way that man was single.

“So.” Steve frowned, and put his mug down. “The man who used to live here-“ thank god, this wasn’t about Tony- “he...wasn’t the nicest. He pretty much moved out as soon as he possibly could have, after he realized that pretty much everyone on the street was part of the lgbt community.” Oh. Wait, was Steve worried that Tony was homophobic? That was the opposite of what Tony had been worried about. He almost laughed, but knew that that probably wouldn’t go down well.

Steve continued. “I’m not accusing you of anything- after all, we just met- but just know that..we don’t tolerate that kind of behaviour. I assume you’re alright with it, as you didn’t say anything about Bea and Anna, but I just have to make sure.” Steve’s eyes were steely as they met Tony’s, and damn, that was kind of hot- _no, stay on track._

“Oh. No, I’m...actually, I’m glad to hear that. You don’t have to worry about me.” Tony smiled. “I mean, being...not straight myself, I sure hope I don’t have a problem with it.” Well, Tony’s problem was with himself, not people who were bi, but Steve didn’t need to know that.

Steve visibly relaxed. “Oh, good.” He smiled, and sat back, crossing one leg. “Well, if you told me that you aren’t straight, I may as well let you know that I’m bi.” Tony raised an eyebrow, and nodded, giving Steve a small smile. Inside, his heart was doing backflips. This meant that he might have a chance.

“Good to know.” Tony relaxed as well, and the atmosphere was suddenly different- it felt a lot...friendlier. 

The two chatted for a while, and Tony felt more and more comfortable with Steve as the hours passed. He didn’t notice how late it was until he glanced outside.

“Shit, it’s starting to get dark. We’ve been at it for a while.” Steve blushed, and Tony slightly regretted his choice of words. Oh, well. He stood up and stretched, then took both Steve and his mugs out to the kitchen. 

Steve was standing when Tony came back. “Well, it’s pretty late. I should get going.” Tony nodded, and followed Steve out to the entrance.

 _Say something,_ Tony’s mind hissed, and he gulped, suddenly nervous. Steve was putting his jacket on, about to leave. _This might be your only chance._

“Uh, Steve?” Tony asked, wincing at how pathetic his voice sounded. Steve looked up.

“Yeah?”

Shit shit shit. Well, he couldn’t back out now. “Could I get your number?” Tony blushed, instantly regretting his words. “Uh, you know, we’re neighbours, it’s a good idea to have each other’s contacts, uh, just in case, you know?” God, he felt like an idiot.

Steve laughed. “It’s fine, Tony, of course.” He took out his phone, a notebook, and a pencil- oh my god, he kept a _notebook_ on him- and wrote his number down, before ripping the page out and handing it to Tony, who took it with slightly shaky hands.

“Thanks. For, uh, the number, and also the pie! Very nice of you, I’m sure it’s delicious.” Steve smiled.

“No problem. Thanks for having me. Goodnight, Tony.”

“Goodnight.”

As he watched Steve walk back to his own house, Tony realized that he was well and truly fucked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this first chapter! The next one will probably be up soon, at least some time later this week. I’m already having a lot of fun with this!
> 
> Comments and kudos very much appreciated! Critiques, as well!


	2. Chapter 2

Tony sipped his coffee while he stared out the window, listening to the birds as they sang outside. He sighed happily, not used to this level of relaxation. How he survived in Manhattan for so long, he didn’t know. The bustling city was nice to a degree, but this calm was a very welcome change.

Tony had almost drained his mug when he was startled by the slam of a car door across the street. He raised an eyebrow, and peered out the window, trying to get a good look at whoever was disturbing the peace. A man stepped out and walked across the street to Tony’s side, going up...Steve’s driveway.

Tony frowned, and grabbed his phone to check the time. 9:36. Why on earth would someone be visiting Steve that early? He got a sinking feeling when he realized that it was probably Steve’s boyfriend. Who else would be there before ten am?

 _It’s not hopeless yet,_ Tony’s brain helpfully reminded him, _he could just be Steve’s friend. Pepper and Rhodey would come over that early if you needed them._

Tony nodded to himself. He’d wait and see. He took another look out the window, but unless he wanted to be a total creep, he wasn’t going to get any more information. With a sigh, he got up to refill his mug. He’d definitely need the extra boost if he was to stay alert.

After about fifteen more minutes of being the nosy neighbour, Tony saw another car pull up outside Steve’s house. Tony felt a small twinge of hope. It was probably just friends coming over. It was still horrifically early, but maybe they were just morning people.

A man and a woman got out of this car, and they, too, went up to Steve’s house. Tony frowned, and craned his neck to try and see who opened the door, but to no avail. He let out an annoyed huff, and sat back against his chair. Dammit. This was no good.

Tony briefly debated texting Steve to see what was up, but decided that he’d come off as a complete weirdo if he did, so that was one plan down the drain. Time for Plan B- contacting his friends.

Pepper was probably busy, so Tony sent her a brief text, and called Rhodey, who picked up on the fourth ring.

“Hey, Tony.”

“Honey bear! How’s it going?”

Rhodey laughed. “I’m good. Hope you’re not too tired, how’s the new house?”

“It already feels like home. My neighbours brought me the best cookies on earth, and an apple pie. Life is good.”

“I’m glad to hear that, but I’m guessing you didn’t just call me to tell me about cookies. What’s up?”

Tony sighed. “Okay, so the apple pie neighbour- his name is Steve, and he’s ridiculously attractive, Rhodey. Ridiculously. My problem is that there are three people over at his house right now, before ten. I’m not sure if they’re just all friends, or maybe one of them is a special someone. Help me out here.”

“I mean, you could just ask him.”

“That’s a horrible idea.”

“No, it’s probably the best one you have.” Rhodey paused. “I mean, you could also ask the cookie neighbour. They might know.”

Tony brightened. “Good idea! I’m sure Beatrice and Anna would. I’ll go do that now. Thanks, platypus.” 

“Good luck, man.”

Tony hung up, and went to put his shoes on, but stopped. They were old ladies, they probably weren’t awake yet. He sighed, and flopped down on the couch. Why was life so difficult? 

Tony spent the rest of the morning by the window, listening to music and worrying. When noon rolled around, he got up to make a sandwich, then decided to go outside (for a walk to clear his head, not for any other reason.)

When he stepped outside, he was greeted by birds and warm sunshine. He smiled, feeling a little bit better. He should have gone outside earlier. Though it didn’t really calm his anxieties, it was a welcome distraction.

“Oh, Tony! Good to see you!” Tony turned his head sharply to see Anna waving at him. She was on her knees in her front garden, gloves on, a spade in one hand. 

“Hey, Anna. It’s nice out, isn’t it?” Tony walked over, managing to not give in to the urge to look at Steve’s house. “Gardening, I see. Perfect weather for it.”

Anna smiled. “Definitely. I only hope the deer won’t come and ruin it.” She sighed, and shook her head. “They eat at least one of my plants every year.”

Tony grimaced. “Buggers. That’s one good thing about the city, they don’t hang around there.” Anna laughed.

“That’s true. Bea and I might just have to move out there.”

“Aw, but then I’d miss her cookies!” Tony grinned. “They alone have made this move worth it. Of course, the people are lovely too. Mostly the cookies, though.”

Anna raised her eyebrows. “One particular person especially, no?” She smiled when Tony blushed. “It’s okay, hun. He’s single, by the way. I know you were wondering about that.”

Embarrassed, Tony ducked his head. “Yeah, maybe.” He gave Anna a small smile. “Thanks, actually. I might have been worrying about that all morning. Don’t tell anyone?”

“I can’t promise I won’t tell Bea, but other than that, my lips are sealed.” Anna winked, and went back to her gardening. Tony stood there for a second, then wandered back to his house, lost in thought.

So. Steve was single, and apparently Tony was completely obvious.

Tony grabbed a book from inside, and sat on his front porch for the rest of the afternoon trying to read it, but he was too distracted. Steve was single. He had a chance.  
After about three hours of failed reading, Tony was startled by sounds of a door opening, and voices. He looked over to Steve’s house to see the three friends leaving. He watched them for a second, then tried to go back to his book. Geez, he swore he’d read the same paragraph fifty times.

He was distracted yet again by not so stealthy whispers coming from Steve’s friends. He paused, and listened closely. 

“Is that him?” one of them- Tony thought it was the sandy-haired guy- asked. What on earth?

“Must be,” said the woman.

“Well, let’s say hi,” the other guy said, before turning and walking over to Tony, who put down his book, and raised an eyebrow. 

“You’re Steve’s new neighbour, right?” the man said, stopping a few metres away. “Tony?”

Tony nodded. “Yup, I’m at _least_ eighty percent sure that’s my name.” He paused, looking at each of them in turn, and offered a smile. “I assume you’re his friends? The squad?”

The man grinned. “That’s right. I’m Sam. The other two are Clint and Natasha.”

Tony nodded. “So, you’re Clint-“ he pointed at the woman- “and you’re Natasha-“ then at the other man- “right?”

“Yes, that’s correct.” The man- Clint- grinned, and Natasha rolled her eyes.

“Well, nice to meet you,” she said, giving Tony a nod. He saluted, and watched as the three walked back to their respective cars.

Huh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eep, sorry this chapter kinda sucked, the next one will be better, I promise. 
> 
> I had some inspiration this morning and finished this before school, so you guys get this chapter early. The next one will be out in a couple of days, probably.
> 
> Thanks for continuing to read! Again, comments, critiques, and kudos all very much appreciated!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the kudos and comments! It really makes my day every time I see them.
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

Yesterday had been odd, Tony thought as he tinkered with the small robot in his hands. He didn’t have his workshop in this house, but he’d brought enough tools to work on the little guy. That reminded Tony- he needed to name him.

He hadn’t really programmed the robot to do anything, just to run (roll) around and act cute, pretty much. It was nice to just build something for fun.

After a few minutes, Tony put the robot down- he really needed to give it a name- and sat back in his chair, balancing on two legs. He was getting hungry, and so he got up and went out to the kitchen to find something to eat.

The first thing he noticed was Steve’s pie. It was still sitting on the counter, next to the half empty box of cookies. Why not? Tony cut a piece, poured himself a fresh cup of coffee, and got settled in the living room. It sure smelled good, which was nice, but he wasn’t really expecting much. Apple pie had never been his favourite. With a shrug, he took a bite.

Apple pie was now his favourite. 

###

Hours later, Tony had managed to eat half of the pie, until he couldn’t even look at it. He relaxed into the living room chair, where he could see out the window, and opened his book, fully intending to read for the rest of the day, before he heard a car door slam.

He glanced up, only to do a double take. It had been Steve, but Steve never closed his door that hard. Book abandoned, Tony sat up straighter, and leaned forward. Maybe it was nothing, and he was just over-analyzing things.

He frowned. Steve was walking rather slowly, with his head down and shoulders slumped. As Tony watched, Steve dropped his keys, and instead of picking them up, just stood there with his head in his hands. Tony sighed, sympathetic. He had days like that.

Steve did manage to get into his house, and Tony watched for another minute, worried. He should go over there, just to make sure everything was alright. Maybe he could bring what was left of Beatrice’s cookies. He nodded to himself. Yeah, that was a good idea. If Steve really didn’t seem up to social interaction, Tony could always just give him the cookies to cheer him up and leave, but he knew that he wouldn’t want Steve to leave if it was the other way around, so he decided to try and stay as long as possible.

So, about five minutes later, Tony knocked on Steve’s door, the box of cookies in his arms. There was no answer for a while, so Tony was just about to knock again, when Steve opened the door.

Yikes. Up close, he looked even worse. He was clearly exhausted, with dark bags under his eyes, and he was leaning heavily on the doorframe. Despite all that, he seemed to brighten when he saw who it was. Tony smiled.

“Hey, Steve. I noticed you didn’t look so hot, so I decided to see if you were feeling alright?” Tony winced, and held out the cookies. “I hope you don’t mind. I also brought cookies, because they always cheer me up.”

Steve smiled, and stepped back. “Thanks, Tony,” he said softly, his voice slightly hoarse. “Come on in.” 

Tony nodded, and went in. The first thing he noticed about Steve’s house was the paintings. They were everywhere. In the hallway, the living room, the kitchen, in the stairwell. As Tony followed Steve into the kitchen, he noticed the easel in the living room, near one of the windows, a half finished piece of art on it.

“Did you paint all these?” Tony asked, almost in awe. Steve laughed nervously.

“Yeah, I’m an artist. I keep my favourites.”

“Steve, these are incredible!” Tony put the cookies down on the counter, and stared at a red and gold painting on the wall. Was it his imagination, or was there a figure in the middle?

Steve blushed slightly, and ducked his head. “Thank you. I..I’m glad you like them.” He took a cookie, and glanced back at Tony. “Want to sit down? Would you like anything?”

Tony shook his head. “Nah, I just ate. Thanks, though.” He grinned. “By the way, that apple pie? Amazing, best I’ve ever had. Seriously.”

Steve laughed. “I’m glad! It was my mother’s recipe.”

“Thank god for your mother, making you and her amazing apple pies.”

Steve smiled, and was about to say something, but instead gave a giant yawn. Tony silently cursed himself. He had forgotten why he came over, already. “Steve,” he said, putting a hand on the man’s arm, “why don’t we just watch a movie, or something? You seem exhausted, I don’t want to tire you out further by yapping at you for two hours.”

Steve sighed, but stood up. “Good idea, actually. Thanks.”

They headed over to the living room, and Steve grabbed the remote, before sitting down on the couch a little too heavily. Tony carefully sat next to him, fully prepared to catch him if he suddenly fell asleep.

They sat in comfortable silence while Steve scrolled through Netflix, but he eventually abandoned it, and put in Bambi instead. He instantly relaxed as the opening credits played, and Tony smiled. Though Steve still looked exhausted, the tension was gone. He looked...happy.

They were about twenty minutes into the movie, when Steve suddenly spoke up.

“Hey, Tony.” Steve turned to him, and smiled. “I just wanted to say thank you, again. I had a pretty rough day, but this...this is nice.”

Tony’s heart pounded. Steve looked and sounded so..open and sincere. The first thought Tony had was _adorable_ , and he swallowed. 

“No problem, Steve. I’m glad I’m helping, instead of being a bother.” 

“You’d never be a bother.” 

Tony’s eyes widened, and he gave a weak smile. “Well, I’m glad to hear that, but I think my other friends would disagree.” Steve chuckled, but was it Tony’s imagination, or did his smile flicker for a moment?

Either way, Tony cast that thought aside when Steve moved closer, and if he scooted closer as well, well...who could blame him? 

###

Tony woke up feeling warm and comfortable. He tightened his grip on whoever he was lying on, burying his face in their stomach. He must have fallen asleep near the end of Bambi. Wait a minute, who _was_ he lying on?

He sighed, and shifted, raising his head to see none other than-

Steve. Holy shit. Tony’s heart did a backflip in his chest, and he froze, brain shutting down. He was _lying on Steve._

Wait until he told Pepper and Rhodey about this.

Tony didn’t know what to do. On the one hand, this was extremely, unfairly comfortable, and it was _Steve,_ but on the other, when Steve woke up, things would be very, very awkward.

Tony sighed again, and tried to move, only to find that Steve’s arm had him trapped. He dropped his head. Great. Just as he was wondering how he’d get himself out of this mess, Steve shifted, and made a small noise. Wonderful, he was awake.

There was a moment of silence. Then- “Tony?” Steve whispered, moving his arm. Tony nearly whimpered at the loss of warmth, but lifted his head, trying to pretend that he had just woken up, too.

“Oh. Hey, Steve,” he mumbled, blinking. “Guess we fell asleep.” 

“Yeah,” Steve said softly, “guess we did.” 

“You’re a comfortable pillow.”

Steve snorted. “Thanks?” 

Tony grinned. “That was the best compliment you’ll ever receive, you’re welcome.” He put his head down again, and turned a little to look at the clock. 6:17. They didn’t really have to get up yet. He let out a small breath, and relaxed. He hoped Steve was okay with this, but he hadn’t thrown Tony off in disgust yet. In fact, neither of them made any move to get up. 

The time ticked by, and Tony was tired, not wanting to get up for anything, yet buzzing with a strange energy. His breath hitched as Steve’s arm fell back on top of him, securely holding him in place. This felt _right._

Suddenly, he felt panic shoot through him- what if Steve only thought of him as a friend? Okay, they were cuddling on the couch, but it was an accident, and Tony knew that friends did that all the time. If Steve really didn’t want anything more to come from this...the longer Tony stayed, the worse it would feel when Steve eventually got into a relationship. He couldn’t do this.

Tony pushed himself up, and Steve’s arm retreated immediately. Tony stumbled off of the couch, his legs nearly giving out under him. “Bathroom,” he said shortly, and hastily made his way out of the living room, trying to ignore Steve’s bewildered and slightly hurt expression.

Tony shut the door behind him, and turned on the sink. He splashed water in his face, the cold waking him up effectively. He took a deep breath, and stood there for a second, trying to calm down. It was fine. He’d thank Steve for letting him stay, leave, and try to never think about this again. 

(Who was he kidding, he would never be able to stop thinking about this.)

Tony didn’t know how long he was in there, but suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

“Tony?” Steve called softly. “Is everything alright?”

Tony froze. “Uh, yeah- yeah, everything’s fine, Steve, thanks.” He winced, noticing how hoarse his voice sounded. There was silence- probably Steve trying to figure out if Tony was lying.

“Okay, I’m...I’m going to make breakfast. If you want to stay, you can, I don’t mind.”

Tony nearly laughed. Of course Steve was going to make him breakfast, and of course Tony wanted to stay. The real question was if Steve _truly_ wanted him there. Surely it would just be a hassle.

With a sigh, Tony dried himself off, and opened the door, wincing when it creaked rather loudly. Steve looked up as Tony made his way into the kitchen, and Tony stood there for a second, hands in his pockets, not quite knowing what to do. 

Steve smiled, and gestured for Tony to sit. “I’m just making eggs and toast, I hope you’re good with that.”

Tony tried to smile back, but it felt strained. “Of course. I, uh, I really hope I’m not being a bother. I can go, seriously, just say the word, I won’t be offended.”

“No, it’s fine, really. I want you to stay.” Steve frowned. “Unless, of course, you would rather just go home, which I’d understand-“

“I do want to stay!” Tony blurted, then winced. “Thank you.”

Steve nodded. “No problem.” He turned and started preparing the food, and Tony watched, almost mesmerized. He’d never been very good at cooking, but he loved to see other people who knew what they were doing. Well, eggs and toast wasn’t particularly difficult to make, but the way Steve moved made it clear to Tony that he knew his way around the kitchen.

Tony wasn’t sure how long he’d been staring before a plate was suddenly in front of him. He blinked, and looked up at Steve with a small smile. “Thanks. It looks good.”

Steve smiled back, and poured himself orange juice. He gestured to Tony’s cup, head tilted, and Tony stood up. “I’ll just get myself coffee. Thanks, though.” 

Steve just nodded and sat down, immediately digging in. Tony tried to hold back a sigh as he waited for his coffee. Why did things suddenly feel so tense? He frowned. It was probably his fault for running off. Great. Why couldn’t he just be normal?

His thoughts were interrupted by the coffee machine beeping, and he poured the drink into his cup, not bothering with milk and sugar. He let out a contented sigh as he took a sip. Coffee made everything better.

Tony tried his best to politely and stealthily ignore Steve for the rest of the meal. It was going well, until he heard a sniff, and froze. It had to have been Steve- what happened?

Tony risked a glance up, only to see Steve, eyes red, clearly trying his best to hold off tears. Jesus, he looked even worse than he had yesterday. There were dark bags under his eyes, and he just looked...heavy. Tony swallowed, and gently put his cutlery down. That could wait.

“Steve?” he said softly, tilting his head. “You okay?”

There was silence. Then, a quick, almost unnoticeable shake of Steve’s head. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, closing his eyes, “just keep eating. I’ll be fine.”

Tony frowned. “Steve, I’m sorry, I know I haven’t known you for very long, and I don’t want to overstep, but you’re obviously not fine.” He leaned forward, putting a hand on Steve’s arm. Friends. They were just friends. “Tell me only if you feel comfortable, but at least let me be here.”

More silence. Steve sniffed again, and squeezed his eyes shut. “I’ve been trying to keep it together,” he said, voice barely audible. “For you. Like you said, we haven’t known each other for very long. I don’t want to burden you with this.” 

Tony moved his chair so he was beside Steve instead of across from him, and pressed his arm against Steve’s shoulder. “It’s fine, Steve. I don’t mind.”

Steve shook his head, but leaned into Tony. “I don’t really want to talk about it right now, anyway.” 

Tony nodded. “Okay. Can you keep eating, or are you done?”

“I’m done.” A pause. “Stay here, please.”

“‘Course.”

There was another pause. “Thank you for coming over yesterday, and staying.” Steve turned to look at Tony, and gave a weak smile. “It...it really helped.”

“Anytime.” Tony couldn’t remember ever meaning that more.

 _Friends, we’re friends._ He was doing this for a friend.

They didn’t talk much for the rest of the morning, instead staying in a now comfortable silence. Tony didn’t mind, especially when Steve let his head rest against Tony’s shoulder.

Maybe, just maybe, they were a little more than just friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I told you this one was going to be better!
> 
> Writing this made me really want to watch Bambi again. It’s a good movie.
> 
> (Also, the robot will return! Eventually.)
> 
> Hope you enjoyed! The next chapter will be up as soon as possible, but I do have tests coming up, so it might be a bit late. Sorry in advance!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this chapter is kind of short! Either way, I hope you enjoy!

When Tony reached his front door, there was a small slip of paper sticking out of his mailbox. Curious, he grabbed it and took it inside. Really, it was probably some pamphlet or something equally boring, but whatever.

He opened it to find not a pamphlet, but an invitation. In bright, red letters, was an invitation to a Memorial Day barbecue, hosted by Tina and Mya, down the street. Tony hadn’t actually met them yet, or a few other people on the street, so this was a good opportunity. 

Nodding to himself, Tony went upstairs to get dressed, as he was still in his clothes from yesterday. Thanks to Steve, he had already eaten, and so he could get right to work on the little robot, but when he sat down to tinker, he found that he was too distracted. He couldn’t stop thinking about Steve. His voice, his smile, his warmth, his eyes...god, his eyes were beautiful. Tony was already in over his head. 

With a sigh, Tony just sat back and listened to music, trying to shut his mind off for a little bit, but it was no use. Did Steve like this song? Was he okay, after Tony left? Shit, _was_ he? 

No, Tony couldn’t let himself go down that particular rabbit hole. He needed to concentrate on his work, not think about Steve, eyes bright with unshed tears-

Tony abruptly stood up, and grabbed the robot he’d been working on the other day. He could continue work on the little guy in his lab at SI, somewhere he (hopefully) wouldn’t think of Steve. While Tony put his shoes on, not bothering to grab a coat, he couldn’t help but wonder if Steve would like the robot, once he was finished.

The little guy really needed a name.

###

The morning of the barbecue donned warm and sunny, and Tony left the house in high spirits, probably about fifteen minutes early. Tina and Mya were about five houses down from Tony’s, so it was a short walk. On the way, he admired the fresh green leaves on the trees, breathing in the cool air. He might have walked slower than usual, just to stay outside for a few more precious seconds. He didn’t go out for walks nearly enough.

A short, pale woman with her red hair in a bun opened the door, and she grinned when she saw who it was. “You must be Tony! I’m Mya, nice to meet you!” She extended her hand, and Tony took it with a smile.

“Likewise. Thanks for inviting me!”

Mya stepped back, and looked over her shoulder. “Honey!” she called, “Tony’s here! He’s the one who just moved in, remember?” 

A tall black woman poked her head around the corner, and smiled. Tony blinked- her hair was so long it came down to her knees. 

“Hi! I’m Tina, glad you could make it!” Tony nodded. 

“Thanks for the invitation. Now-“ he looked around- “Is there anything I can do to help out?”

Mya nodded enthusiastically. “Could you help bring out plates and napkins? Everything’s going to be in the backyard, on the picnic tables.”

Tony got to work, and had just finished when the doorbell rang. He went back inside to see who it was, when Steve came into the living room behind Mya. Tony stopped dead, heart doing a backflip when Steve smiled at him.

“Hey, Tony.”

Tony blinked, and grinned. “Hey.”

Tina and Mya exchanged looked, eyebrows raised. “I’m going to go watch the grill,” Tina said, and Mya nodded, following her into the backyard. Tony huffed, then turned back to Steve. 

“Be proud of me, I set two tables, I’m the most helpful person in the world.” Steve laughed.

“Good job, I’m so proud.” He grinned. “So, how’s your day been?”

“Well,” Tony said, drawing out the vowel, “I did finally finish the pie- it was heavenly- and I read an entire book. I know,” he added as Steve snorted, “incredible.”

“Sounds like you had a productive day, then.” Steve was obviously trying to hold in a laugh, and Tony scoffed in mock offense.

“Let’s hear what you did, Mr Perfect.”

Steve raised an eyebrow. “I finished a painting, started a new one, and also wrapped up the storyboards for an episode.”

Tony blinked. “Wow, that’s actually pretty impressive. Wait-“ he held a hand up- “you’re a storyboard artist? That’s so cool!”

Steve smiled, and ducked his head. “Thanks. It’s pretty fun, most of the time.”

Tony was about to say something else, when the doorbell rang. “Can you two get it?” Mya called, and Tony looked at Steve, who sighed and went over to the door.

“Oh, hey, Steve!” Tony peeked around the corner to see who it was, frowning slightly. A rather short, brown-haired man stood there, smiling. “Nice to see you. Tina and Mya out back?”

Steve nodded, and stepped back to let him in. “It’s good to see you, too.” A blonde woman followed, and Tony went back into the living room, not wanting to introduce himself in the small entrance hall.

“Hey, are you Tony?” The man waved, and Tony shook his hand with a smile. “I’m Ryan, welcome to the neighbourhood officially!”

Tony nodded. “Thanks. It’s lovely here.”

The woman stepped forward, and shook Tony’s hand as well. “It is, isnt it? I’m Lily, nice to meet you.”

“Thanks, you too!”

Steve put a hand on Tony’s shoulder as Ryan and Lily went into the backyard, giving him a knowing look. “You’re going to have to meet white a few more people in the next couple of hours. Hope you’re ready.”

Tony sighed. “Ready as I’ll ever be.” He smiled. “At least I already know you, you’re my lifeline here.” Was it Tony’s imagination, or did Steve blush a little at that? 

“Well, you’re welcome, then,” Steve said, ducking his head. “Why dont we go out back? The door’s open, everyone else will be able to get in.”

Tony nodded, and followed Steve into the backyard, where the others were chatting animatedly. He sighed, and took a seat a little bit away from everyone, not really wanting to join in. Don’t get him wrong, he liked socializing, but he just wanted to sit and listen for the time being.

Steve sat next to him, joining in on the conversation every once in a while. After a few minutes, he put a hand on Tony’s knee and shot him a smile, which made Tony’s heart pound like crazy. He smiled weakly back, wanting to scoot closer and rest his head on Steve’s shoulder, Steve’s arm around him-

He shook his head to clear it, reminding himself to pay attention. He looked up at the others, and blushed when he noticed Tina giving him a knowing smile. Ah, great, so that was how this evening was going to go. 

###

About an hour later, Tony had met almost everyone on the street, including, but not limited to: old Mr Thomas a few houses down, who lived alone with his two cats, Mirabel and Whiskers, Noah and their boyfriend, Jake, who had just moved in, Jodie and her sister, Alexis, who lived across the street, and John and his daughter, Catherine. Tony got along with all of them, especially Jodie, who he learned was also an engineer. 

He was standing out of the way, watching everyone chat amongst themselves, when Jodie nudged him in the side.

“So,” she said, eyes twinkling, “I saw you coming out of Steve’s house the other morning. Did you two have fun?”

Tony spluttered, turning red. “I- we- we did have fun, actually, but not in that sense.” He glared at her. “It was a purely platonic visit. Sleepover? It’s none of your business, anyway.”

Jodie laughed. “Purely platonic my ass, but you’re right, it’s none of my business.” She grinned. “Everyone else noticed, too, though, just a heads up. You’re the talk of the town.” With that, she left, going to chat with Alexis and Noah.

Tony stood there, wondering if he could maybe jump off the roof, break his leg, and avoid further questioning, before Tina walked up to him, putting her hand on his shoulder.

“So,” she started, and Tony sighed.

“You think Steve and I-“

“Yep.” She smiled. “Wait, didn’t you?” Tony shook his head.

“The full story is, I noticed that Steve looked pretty...not very good, so I went over, we watched a movie, and fell asleep on the couch.” He smiled. “He made me breakfast while I practically had a panic attack, I stayed for another hour, maybe, and then I left.”

Tina nodded. “Huh. Well, just a warning, everyone thinks-“

“Yeah, I got it.” 

“You do like him though, right?”

Tony froze. “Uh-“

She laughed. “Sorry, I put you on the spot, there.” She frowned, suddenly growing serious. “Listen, Steve’s has a tough time since...well, it’s not my place to tell you, but something happened last year. I think he likes you, Tony, but don’t you dare hurt him, okay?”

Tony blinked. “I, uh, yeah, I wouldn’t dream of it. Seriously.” So. The whole street thought that he and Steve had slept together, and now he was getting an abridged shovel talk. Also, Tina thought that Steve _liked_ him.

She wasn’t sure, though, and everyone thought something else was true that wasn’t, so he shouldn’t get his hopes up.

Tina smiled. “Well, I’ll leave you be.” Tony stared after her. He needed to find Steve.

Looking around, Tony didn’t spot him at first, but he seemed to have had the same idea, and was standing in a corner of the yard, on a bench under a tree, and, shit, he looked...bad. With a frown, Tony headed over to him, forgetting the rumours instantly.

“Steve?”

He startled, head turning sharply. “Oh,” he said, a hint of a waver in his voice, “Tony. Sorry, didn’t notice you there.”

Tony gave a tiny smile. “It’s fine. I just, uh, I wanted to know...” he paused, trailing off. Was he overstepping? Maybe he should just leave it alone-

“Wanted to know what?” Steve had his head tilted slightly, and though his voice sounded stronger and brighter, Tony recognized that it was faked. He had done the same countless times. _Oh, Steve._

“I just wanted to know if you were okay.” Tony winced slightly, but kept going. “You’ve seemed really down for the last little while. I understand if you don’t want to tell me, but, you know, you could always talk to someone.”

Steve was silent for a moment, looking at the ground, but then he sighed. “Could we maybe go somewhere a little more..private?” He looked up at Tony, almost pleadingly, and Tony’s heart broke.

“Of course,” he said softly, putting a hand on Steve’s arm. “Let’s go inside.” Steve nodded, and let himself be lead into the house, where they sat down on the living room couch, close enough so that their legs were touching.

Tony was about to tell Steve to take his time, but before he could, Steve spoke.

“Last year I lost someone really close to me.” He shifted. “Exactly one year yesterday.”

Tony didn’t say anything, only nodded, and gently squeezed Steve’s shoulder.

“He-“ Steve paused, blinking hard- “his name was Bucky. We- we grew up together.” He smiled sadly. “We were inseparable. We did everything together.”

Tony frowned, thinking of Rhodey, and how much it would hurt to lose him. He couldn’t imagine what Steve must have gone through. He moved closer, taking his hand off of Steve’s arm and placing it on his knee, instead. Their shoulders touched, and Steve leaned closer, but Tony wasn’t sure if he knew he was doing it.

“We were actually, uh, we were together when it happened. I mean, not- I mean we were, uh, we were dating-“ Tony’s eyes widened slightly- “it was a car crash.” Steve let out a short, bitter laugh. “Of all the things to take him out. He had a prosthetic arm, lost it in a crash as a kid. Guess it wanted the rest of him, too.”

“Steve,” Tony said softly, “I’m sorry. I- is there anything I can do? Anything?”

Steve shook his head. “Just stay, please,” he said, voice breaking, and Tony nearly cried himself as he saw tears begin to make their way down Steve’s cheeks. Heart aching, he wrapped his arms around Steve, holding him tightly as his shoulders shook with his sobs. Tony pushed every other thought out of his head, and focused on Steve, rubbing soothing circles on his back.

“Shh, it’s okay,” he said softly, as Steve buried his face in his neck, “let it all out. It’s okay, I’m here.” 

They left early, and, thankfully, no one said anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed!
> 
> Next chapter might be late- I have provincials this week and next week, so I’ll be busy studying and whatnot. I should have been studying while I wrote this, but this is so much more fun.
> 
> As always, kudos, comments, and critiques welcome and appreciated!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh, sorry it’s been so long! Here’s chapter five, finally! I hope you guys enjoy!

Tony followed Steve into his house, trying his hardest to ignore the way Steve’s hand was holding on to his tightly. He closed the door gently behind them, and Steve let go, continuing into the house. 

Steve didn’t even take his shoes off, just walked into the living room and practically collapsed on the couch. Tony sighed, and crouched down in front of Steve, untying the laces on his sneakers. Steve didn’t object, and lifted his feet when Tony gave the shoes a tug. Tony tossed them aside, and took off his own shoes, before sitting next to Steve, gently placing his hand on his back.

“You okay?” he said softly, and Steve leaned into him, closing his eyes and shaking his head. Tony’s heart twinged, and he wrapped his arm around Steve’s shoulders. 

“Want to watch a movie?” he whispered. “Another Disney classic?”

Steve gave a tiny smile. “Sure,” he said, voice hoarse. Tony nodded, and gave him a squeeze, before getting up to go choose a movie.

“Hmm.” He crouched down, eyeing the stack in front of him. “What will it be? Snow White, Cinderella, ooh, The Lion King, The Jungle Book- you own a lot of these.” He chuckled. “Any of those sound good?” 

Steve looked up. “How about Snow White? I haven’t seen that one in a while.”

Tony nodded, put the movie in, and went back to the couch. He leaned against Steve as the opening credits started, and Steve put his head on his shoulder. Tony was sure he was blushing, and his heart was pounding so loudly he could hear it.

After a few minutes, Tony gently wrapped his arm around Steve, and he didn’t pull away. If anything, Tony thought Steve might have leaned in more. He felt a flutter in his stomach, but this definitely wasn’t the time to say or do anything, so he just tried to concentrate on the movie.

As Snow White sang and cleaned the kitchen, Tony glanced at Steve to see him smiling, watching the movie with tired but bright eyes. Tony felt warmth bloom in his chest, and he smiled himself, turning back to the TV, but he couldn’t focus on it for the rest of the movie. All he could think about was Steve’s smile, and the warmth of him next to Tony.

 

When the credits rolled, Steve pulled away slightly, and Tony stretched, yawning. He sighed, falling back, and was about to ask Steve if he wanted to call it a night, when the man spoke.

“Tony?”

Tony paused, looking over at Steve. “Yeah?” Oh, no. The smile Steve had had when he was watching the movie was gone, replaced by a strained expression.

“Um, well, first..thank you.” Steve sighed. “Thank you, for- for being here.” He hesitated, swallowing, then spoke again. “I’m sorry.”

Tony frowned. “What? You have nothing to be sorry about.”

Steve shook his head. “No, I do. I’m sorry for being such...such a downer- for dumping all of this on you. Thank you again, for helping, but seriously, you don’t need to. I’m sorry for bothering-“

Tony cut him off. “Steve, no. You’re not a bother at all. I’m helping because I want to- because I care about you, okay?” He offered a small smile, and put his hand on Steve’s shoulder. “It’s okay.”

Steve gave a watery smile, and ducked his head. “Okay,” he said softly, “thank you.” He looked up, eyes wet, and Tony tutted.

“Oh, c’mere.” He pulled Steve into a hug, and the man held on tight. Tony sighed, gently rubbing circles on Steve’s back.

“It’s getting late,” he said softly, “and I know the neighbours will talk, but I’m not leaving you here alone, okay?” Steve pulled away, looking at him with wide eyes.

“You don’t have to-“ 

Tony shook his head. “I know, but I want to. I know I’m probably overstepping, so I’m sorry, but...” he trailed off with a sigh.

“No, it’s okay.” Steve smiled. “If you’re sure-“

“I am.” 

“Then I’ll go change the bedsheets.” Steve stood up, turning the TV off, and looked back at Tony sheepishly. “I, uh, there’s a guest room, but there’s no bed, so you’re going to have to stay in mine. I hope you’re okay with that.” Tony followed him into the entrance, frowning as he started up the stairs. “Also, I’m going to have to take my pillow, can’t sleep without it-“

“Wait,” Tony interrupted, “you’re not thinking of sleeping on the couch, are you?” Steve turned back with a confused expression, and Tony crossed his arms. “Nuh-uh, no way. I’m taking the couch.”

Steve laughed a little. “Tony, you’re the guest-“

“It’s your bed, and forgive me, but you’re not having the best time-“

“It’s fine-“

“No, it’s not! You can sleep in your own bed-“

“I don’t want to make you sleep on the couch! It’s not very comfortable!”

“Really, Steve, it’s fine.” Tony smiled. “Also, I’ve slept in some pretty uncomfortable places, I’m sure I can handle your couch.”

Steve just frowned. “Are you sure?”

Tony nodded. “Just hand me a blanket, and we’re good to go.” 

Steve sighed. “Okay, if you’re sure. I’ll grab you a blanket, then, wait here.”

Tony sat there for a minute, looking around the room. The easel in the corner was paint-splattered, and he smiled as he looked at it. All of the paintings were bright, save for one, a mix of dark blues and greys. Tony stood up, and went over to it. He squinted, and realized that it wasn’t just abstract - there was a figure crouched in the middle, clutching someone’s hand. The someone’s arm was the only thing visible of them.

Tony frowned. That painting definitely felt different from all of the others. He stepped back, and continued looking around the room, when a picture on Steve’s bookshelf caught his eye. He crossed the room, pausing just in front of the photo. 

Tony took a breath. It was a picture of Steve, his arm slung around another man. The guy had long, dark hair, and Tony could just see the beginnings of a grey left arm - a prosthetic. It must have been Bucky. 

Tony was startled by footsteps, and quickly sat back down on the couch as Steve came back, two rolled up blankets in his arms. He smiled, and handed them to Tony.

“These are the best ones I could find.” Steve scratched the back of his head, looking sheepish. “Sorry, they’re not that comfortable.”

Tony waved a hand. “Bah, it’s fine. The fact that you gave me anything at all is what matters.” He smiled. “Thanks. Honestly, though, you could give me a rubber mat and I’d be okay.”

Steve laughed, and it was like music to Tony’s ears. He sat there, clutching the blankets, grinning like an idiot.

“So,” Steve said, “uh, before I head upstairs, do you need anything else? Bathroom’s upstairs, on the left. Don’t hesitate to wake me up if anything happens.”

“I think I’ll be fine, but thanks.” Tony stood up and stretched the blankets over the couch, then adjusted the pillows. “I can turn the lights off.”

“Okay. Goodnight, then.” Steve gave a tiny smile, and turned to go back up the stairs. “Sleep tight.”

“I’ll hope you have no bed bugs to not let bite.” Tony smiled. “‘Night, Steve.”

Tony sighed, and turned off all the lights, before finally settling down. He wasn’t going to get a wink of sleep, was he?

###

Tony woke up, blinking. For a second, he didn’t know where he was, and felt a stab of panic, but he relaxed when he saw the easel in the corner. Right, he was at Steve’s.

He sighed, and threw the blankets back, sitting up. He squinted, searching the walls for a clock. There - above the bookshelf. Seven-thirty.

Pale light shone through the curtains, and birds chirped outside. Tony sat for a few minutes, debating getting up, when his stomach grumbled. Well, getting up it was. 

He walked into the kitchen, and paused. Pancakes sounded pretty good. Sadly, Steve didn’t appear to have any blueberries, but he _did_ have chocolate chips, and so, about ten minutes later, Tony poured pancake batter into a pan and turned the burner on.

Tony hummed as he waited to flip the pancakes - some old tune his mother used to sing. Spatula in hand, he started to dance, slowly at first, but pretty soon he was twirling around the kitchen, pausing only to take care of the food.

Suddenly, he heard a snort behind him, and whipped around to see Steve standing in the doorway, one hand covering his mouth, obviously trying hard not to burst out laughing, and-

He was shirtless. Holy shit, he was shirtless. Tony flushed, and coughed. “So, uh, how much did you see?”

Steve finally lost it, and he laughed so hard he had to grab the doorframe to keep from falling over. Tony couldn’t help but join in, and for a minute it was just the two of them in a kitchen smelling of pancakes, laughing their asses off, until Tony smelled something burnt, and hurried to put the food on a plate.

He turned to Steve with a grin, only to find him much closer. Tony’s breath hitched, and he gestured helplessly at the pancakes.

“Uh. More?” He winced. “Should I make more, or is that- is that fine...?”

Steve smiled. “I’d make more. I can help.” He moved next to Tony, reaching for the batter and pouring a few more circles into the pan. “By the way,” he added, “chocolate chip - good choice.”

Tony nodded. “Thanks, I know. Well, I would have rather had blueberries, but...” he shrugged. “You don’t have any, and chocolate chip is the next best thing.”

“I should get some, then.” 

“You should _always_ have blueberries,” Tony said solemnly, prompting a chuckle from Steve.

When that batch of pancakes was done, Steve opened the blinds to let the light in, and the two sat down at the kitchen table to eat. After a few minutes of silence, Tony glanced up at Steve.

“So, feeling any better this morning?”

Steve smiled. “Yeah, actually. Thanks.”

Tony nodded. “Good. I’m glad.”

They finished the rest of the pancakes, and cleaned up quickly. Steve sighed, and turned to leave. “Well,” he said reluctantly, “I would usually leave for work around this time-“

“You’re going to work?” Tony frowned. “Are you sure?”

“I honestly don’t feel up to it.” Steve smiled ruefully. “I _should_ go, but I guess I could take a sick day. I haven’t missed work in a while.”

Tony nodded, and patted Steve’s shoulder. “It’s up to you, of course. If you don’t feel up to it, though, I wouldn’t go.”

Steve was silent for a moment, then sighed. “I’m not actually sick...” he trailed off, frowning down at the floor. “I don’t want to waste one. I should really just pull through.”

Tony looked at Steve sympathetically. “But what if you get there and instantly regret it? You don’t want to be miserable all day. Besides,” he added, “you ‘pulled through’ earlier this week, when you felt a lot rougher, I think. How was that?”

Steve grimaced. “Terrible.”

“C’mon, Steve, you deserve a break.”

Steve sighed again, then gave Tony a small smile. “Yeah, I guess. Thanks. I’ll call in, then. Feel free to look around while I do that.”

Tony nodded, and went back to the living room. He folded the blankets he’d used, and sat on the couch with a sigh. He went to grab his phone from the coffee table, when something caught his eye. A sketchbook that hadn’t been there the night before. Steve must have brought it down with him. A pencil had been stuck inside, keeping it slightly open.

Tony glanced around the room, then back at the sketchbook. He knew he shouldn’t look, but it was so tempting. He wanted to see more of Steve’s art. Just a quick peek wouldn’t hurt, would it? Ignoring a small stab of guilt, Tony gently opened the book.

He blinked. His own eyes stared back at him from the page. It was a beautiful drawing of _him,_ smiling at the viewer. Tony felt a smile grow on his own face. That Tony looked so...happy. 

“What are you doing?” Tony startled, whipping around to see Steve’s horrified face.

“Oh my god, Steve, I’m so sorry, I just couldn’t help myself, I mean, your art is just incredible,” Tony babbled, “and, wow, you really made me look good, but that was an invasion of privacy, I’m sorry, I won’t do it again, but seriously, that’s so good, you drew me? I’m seriously flattered right now-“

Steve’s eyes widened, and he blushed, grabbing the sketchbook and closing it. “Uh, yeah, I- I like to draw, uh, new people I meet? And your face is- is, uh, especially nice...to draw...” he trailed off, and coughed. “You know what I mean. Some people just have...good faces..? And you’re one of them?”

Tony snorted, and grinned. “It’s okay, Steve, I know that I’m extremely pretty.” He softened at Steve’s expression, and gently poked his shoulder. “Hey, seriously, you’re amazing. And I’m not weirded out at all, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

Steve smiled. “Thanks, Tony.” He looked at the book for a second, contemplating something, then slowly brought it up, and handed it to Tony. “You can...you can look if you want.”

Tony gently took it. “Are you sure?”

Steve nodded. “Yeah. Go ahead.”

Tony smiled, and flipped through the rest of the book. Each drawing was perfect, in his eyes. There were a few more drawings of him, one of Beatrice and Anna, a couple of Natasha, Sam, and Clint, if he remembered correctly, and more of people Tony didn’t know.

“Steve, these are...amazing.” Tony let out a small, surprised laugh as he came across another sketch of him, contentedly watching something off of the page. “They’re- it’s almost like they’re alive.”

Steve ducked his head. “Thanks. I- I’ve always loved drawing people. I like trying to...capture their spirit, I guess.”

Tony smiled. “You succeeded.” He felt a warm feeling in his chest as he looked at the drawing. Steve had drawn him, several times, and the care that had gone into each one was obvious. 

Steve sat down next to him, and gently turned the page, pointing out another drawing of Tony. “This one’s my favourite one of you,” he said quietly. The Tony in the drawing was sitting in a chair, laughing at something, one hand half covering his face. 

“I look so happy,” Tony said, scooting a little closer to Steve so that their shoulders touched. “That’s a good one.”

Steve smiled at him, and Tony found himself briefly lost in his eyes. He grinned back, then looked back down at the sketchbook, face feeling warm.

The rest of the day passed pleasantly, and Tony left Steve’s house with some very important knowledge.

He now knew exactly what to name the robot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What’s Tony going to name the robot? Find out next time on Won’t You Be Mine, Neighbour.
> 
> I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Six should be up much sooner than this one. Again, sorry for the wait!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’ll be up very soon, I said. Sorry about the wait! Some good news - school’s out!  
> (On a very different note, I watched Good Omens and am now reading the book. It was/is amazing.)

B.U.C.K.Y.E. 

Originally BUCKY, but Tony had tacked on the E after the robot had wielded a knife, and he’d come up with a stupid acronym. _Buddy, u could kill your enemies._

So, yeah. Buckye. The e was silent.

Tony patted the robot affectionately on the claw. He’d finally finished the little guy, after about another week of work. Buckye was surprisingly smart, and could lift some pretty heavy things (at least, heavy to the robot.) He was a big help cleaning things, and cooking. Tony had quickly become attached to him.

Now, to show Steve.

Truthfully, Tony wasn’t sure how Steve would react to Tony naming his robot after Steve’s dead ex, but he was hoping that it would go down well. Maybe Steve would get a kick out of it? Maybe he’d think it was cute? Tony just didn’t want tears, or annoyance.

He frowned, starting to second-guess his decision. Maybe it wasn’t his place to name a robot after someone he’d never known. He looked at Buckye, weighing his options, but was distracted when his phone buzzed.

Tony sighed, and grabbed his phone. It was a text from Steve. He brightened, and opened it immediately.

_Hey, Tony. I was wondering if you wanted to come over after lunch? I want to introduce you to some of my other friends._

Tony smiled. He thought he knew which friends Steve was talking about.

_Sure, I’d love to! I’ll be there at one?_

Tony put his phone down with a sigh. He wasn’t going to bring Buckye over when other people were there. He contemplating setting up another day to hang out with Steve, when his phone buzzed again.

_Great! I’ll see you then :)_

Tony grinned, and covered his face with his hands. Of course Steve used emoticons in his texts, and it was the cutest thing ever. He sat back, but was snapped out of his thoughts when Buckye beeped loudly.

“Yeah, yeah,” Tony grumbled, getting up. “You’re bored. Here-“ he threw a pen across the table for the bot to chase. Buckye made a happy whistling noise as he grabbed the pen, and zoomed back over to Tony, whirring excitedly. Tony sighed, but smiled as he threw the pen again. At least he had something to keep him occupied before it was time to head over to Steve’s.

###

Tony stood nervously on Steve’s porch, after knocking three times. He was beginning to wonder if maybe he should have brought something over, when he door opened, and he was met with a smiling Steve.

“Tony! Come on in.”

Tony took his time, but eventually had to go in properly, and so, uncharacteristically nervous, he walked into the living room behind Steve, only to see Natasha, Sam, and Clint.

“Oh,” Tony said before Steve could speak, “you guys. Hi.”

Steve looked at him, frowning, and Tony grinned sheepishly. “We, uh, met a couple weeks back. Just briefly.”

Natasha nodded. “Nice to see you again.” 

Tony sat next to Steve on the loveseat, prompting a raised eyebrow and a smirk from Natasha, and grins from the other two. Tony glared at them, knowing exactly what thoughts were running through their heads.

“So,” Steve said, “since apparently you four already know each other, we can skip the introductions.” 

“Wait,” Clint interjected, “I’d still like to know more about this guy. I only know his name, pretty much.” 

Sam nodded. “How ‘bout you tell us about yourself?”

Natasha looked at Tony, and he shrugged. “Sure, I guess. There’s not really much to tell. I moved here almost a month ago, now, from good old New York, New York. Wanted a change of scenery. I owned a company, but passed it on to my good and more than capable friend, and now I’m here.” 

“A company?” Clint said incredulously. “That’s pretty impressive. What did you do?”

Tony winced, hesitating. He didn’t want them to know who he was. Honestly, he was surprised Steve hadn’t worked it out already, but he didn’t want to help them figure it out. “Oh, robotics and stuff like that,” he said, trying to be nonchalant.

Natasha raised an eyebrow, and Tony tried not to look at her. Clint nodded. “Cool, man.”

Luckily, the conversation shifted after that, and Tony relaxed, beginning to enjoy himself. Steve’s friends were...great, really. The only thing was Natasha. Tony couldn’t read her at all, and the way she looked at him, it was almost as though she could tell what he was thinking. It was slightly terrifying.

Tony found himself somehow getting closer to Steve, until he was leaning against the man’s shoulder, legs stretched out as far as they could go with the little room on the loveseat. 

“So,” Natasha said suddenly, “how long have you two been dating?”

Steve choked, turning red, and Tony’s eyes widened. 

“Oh, no-“

“We’re not-“

“Just friends!”

“It’s not like that.”

Natasha smirked, and Sam tried (and failed) to hide his laughter. Clint nodded. “Sure.”

Tony glared at him. “We’re not dating.” _As much as I’d like us to be,_ His shit brain thought, and he shook his head.

“Are you sure about that?” Sam asked with a chuckle. Steve turned to him.

“Yes,” he said sternly, and the three fell silent. “Quite sure.”

Sam and Clint sheepishly nodded, but Natasha just raised her eyebrows. Tony narrowed his eyes at her, and she smiled. “If you say so.”

Luckily, they mostly behaved for the rest of the afternoon, with only a few jabs here and there. Tony was grateful for that. 

Eventually, Natasha stood up. “Well,” she said with a smile, “this has been fun, but Clint and I should really get going.”

Clint frowned, but Natasha shot him a look, and he sighed. “Okay, yeah. Nice chatting with you guys.”

Sam got up as well. “I should get out of here, too.” He grinned. “Nice to see you two. Have a good day.”

Tony nodded, saluting the three with a smile. “Thanks for putting up with me.”

When they’d left, Tony sighed, leaning against the wall. “Your friends aren’t too bad,” he said to Steve, looking up.

Steve laughed. “Yeah, you get used to them.” He grimaced. “Sorry about the teasing. They’re the worst with that kind of stuff.”

Tony waved a hand. “Nah, it’s fine. My friends are the same. Maybe not so barbaric, but it’s the same idea.” 

They fell silent after that, and Tony was struck with a sudden idea. Considering the way Steve had blushed when Natasha had commented on their relationship, and everything he’d done and said since they’d met, maybe Tony had a shot. He should just go for it. He took a breath, nervous. It was now or never.

“Uh, just wondering,” Tony said hesitantly, “I would hate to give them the satisfaction, but, um, hypothetically, if I asked you on- on a date, would you say...yes?”

Steve’s eyes widened, and he blinked. “I- I mean, yeah, I- probably. Yeah.” He blushed slightly, and ducked his head. “I’d say yes. Hypothetically.” He looked up, eyes hopeful. “Are you..?”

“No! Just- uh, I mean, if you wanted, I guess-“

Steve nodded. “Yeah. I’d want to.”

Tony blinked, a small smile spread across his face. “Thursday at seven? I’ll pick you up?”

Steve smiled. “Thursday at seven.”

“Better be ready.” Tony turned, grinning, and walked over to his house. He heard Steve’s door close, and stopped at his own, unable to stop smiling.

Thursday at seven. He could do this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Sorry, it was kinda short and not my best work, haha. Another apology - the wait between updates has been/might be longer now. I’ll still try my best to get them up asap!
> 
> Chapter seven might be kinda short, I’m sorry in advance! It’ll probably be up later this week.
> 
> Thanks for continuing to read! Kudos and comments make my day <3


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just said that updates would be slow, but inspiration hit me like a truck. This chapter is super short so I’m sorry, but the next one will be much longer, and should be out soon, though I am going somewhere with no wifi for a few days, so that might be a problem.
> 
> Well, anyways, hope you guys enjoy!

He could not do this.

Tony groaned, head in his hands. His date with Steve was tomorrow. Beautiful, perfect Steve, who was an amazing artist, and made the best damn apple pies in the universe. He was incredible, and Tony was not, and how the hell did he think Steve would really feel the same? He was going to embarrass himself, and Steve would never want anything to do with him again.

“Rhodeyyyy,” Tony whined, “this is going to be a disaster!”

Rhodey sighed over the phone. “Come on Tones, it’s going to be fine. He said yes, didn’t he?”

“Yeah, but how do I know he wasn’t just being nice? He’s so nice, Rhodey, he’s so nice. How is he real? He’s perfect. Why would he want to go out with me?”

“Tony,” Rhodey said softly. “Maybe because you’re amazing? You’re a genius, and selfless, and brave, and my best friend. If Steve hurts you, I’ll be over in a second, okay?”

Tony paused, a small smile growing on his face. “Thanks, platypus,” he said, a slight waver in his voice. “Means a lot.”

“I love you, man.”

“Love you too.”

Tony sat back with a sigh, feeling slightly better. Buckye rolled over and beeped, waving his little claw around. Tony frowned. “Something wrong, bud?”

Buckye beeped more insistently, So Tony reaches over and gave him a pat. The bot whistled, turning in a circle, and Tony chuckled. 

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Surprised, Tony got up, and opened it to see Beatrice and Anna. Tony smiled. “Nice to see you guys. Want to come in?”

They got settled on the couch, and as soon as Tony sat down, Anna levelled him a glare. “Now, hun, when are you going to toughen up and ask Steve out?”

Tony, slightly shocked, let out a laugh. “Actually,” he said with a grin, “about that. I did. Earlier this week.”

Anna’s eyes widened, and she gave a delighted smile. Beatrice laughed. “Good job, dear. I was wondering when that was going to happen.”

“Well,” Anna said, “about time. I’m proud of you.”

“I do hope you have a nice time, dear.” Beatrice smiled. “You know, Steve is quite taken with you.”

Tony ducked his head. “Well,” he chuckled, “I’m glad to hear that.” 

“He talks about you all the time,” Anna added, “Tony this and Tony that. We did try and get him to ask you on a date, but he was stubborn. ‘No,’ he said, ‘he’d never like me like that, he’s too good for me.’”

Tony blinked. _Steve_ thought that _Tony_ was too good for _him?_ “No way,” Tony said, “he’s perfect! If anything, _he’s_ too good for _me!_ ”

“Well, I think that you two are perfect for each other.” Anna smiled, and Tony took a moment to take that in. Steve hadn’t asked Tony out because he thought he was too good for him. The most amazing man in the universe thought that _Tony_ was too good for him. Insane.

“Thanks, Anna,” Tony said with a soft smile.

“You two have a good time.” With that, the two ladies left, leaving Tony alone with his thoughts. 

Steve was probably just as nervous, which was a crazy thought. _I should get him flowers,_ Tony thought. What would be good for this?

“Hey, Buckye,” he called, “you know what flowers I should get Steve for tomorrow?”

The robot beeped, once. No. Tony sighed. 

“Worth a shot.” He pulled out his phone, and started searching up flower meanings. “Maybe just roses,” he muttered, scrolling through the endless links to flower websites. “That would probably be fine.”

With another sigh, he got up. “Hey, bud, I’ll be back. Just going to run some errands.” Buckye made a sad beeping noise, claw dropping, and Tony pointed at him accusingly. “Nuh-uh, don’t you guilt trip me.” He waved with a grin, and locked the door behind him.

Luckily, there was a flower shop less than half an hour away. It was a cute little building, with a bright paint job, and big windows. Tony smiled as he went in. 

“Excuse me,” he said, stopping at the front desk. “I’m sorry, I know you probably usually a couple of days for bouquets or something, but do you think I could grab just some roses or something?” The girl behind the desk raised an eyebrow. “For a date. Tomorrow.”

The girl sighed. “Roses are awful boring, how about we mix things up?” She straightened with a smile. Her name tag read ‘Kate.’ “What’s your date like?”

Tony blinked. “Uh, I don’t know, I’ve never seen him with flowers-“

Kate rolled her eyes, but she had visibly brightened when Tony said ‘he.’ “No, I mean what is he like? Describe him.”

Oh. Tony cleared his throat. “Well,” he said, “he’s..kind, and stubborn, and caring, and selfless, and brave, and determined, and he’s just...amazing. He’s a natural leader,” Tony continued, a soft smile on his face, “and he’s protective, and not afraid to speak his mind, and just an amazing, great, wonderful guy.”

Kate smiled, and she glanced over Tony’s shoulder. “He sounds awesome, and it sounds like you really love him, huh?”

Tony nodded. “Yeah...I do.”

Kate’s smile grew to a grin, and she rested her head in her hands, elbows on the counter. “And, I think he might be right behind you.”

Tony whirled around, eyes wide, and sure enough, Steve stood there, staring at him.

“Oh, hey Steve, fancy seeing you here?” Tony chuckled nervously. “Guess we had the same idea?” Shit. Tony was fucked, wasn’t he? And not in the good way.

To his surprise, Steve, looking almost like he was about to cry, asked, “do you really mean it?”

Tony swallowed, and nodded. “Yeah. I do.”

Steve just stood there for a second, a smile breaking out over his face, before he stepped forward and hugged Tony tightly. Tony, surprised, closed his eyes, and wrapped his arms around Steve, burying his face in his neck.

“Thank you,” Steve whispered. “Just a heads up, you’re amazing, and I’m going to tell you every reason why tomorrow.” 

Tony swallowed, and let out a tiny laugh, tightening his grip on Steve. “Okay,” he said softly, “sounds good.”

Neither of them noticed that Kate had put two bouquets on the desk before slipping into the back room, a note attached that read, _These ones are on the house, because you two are really fucking cute. Hope you come back! :)_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eep again, sorry this one was so short!! Next chapter will definitely make up for that. It’s the date! Don’t worry, you guys won’t be disappointed.
> 
> I couldn’t resist giving Kate a cameo, she’s the best. Let’s hope her boss doesn’t find out that she gave out two bouquets for free.
> 
> Thanks for continuing to read! Kudos and comments make my day <3


	8. Chapter 8

Tony nervously adjusted his jacket. Today was the day. He had decided to take Steve to a little Italian place about twenty minutes away - he hoped he’d like it.

Steve opened the door before Tony could knock, smiling nervously. “Hey,” he said.

Tony blinked, and grinned. “Hey. You look great.”

Steve’s cheeks went slightly pink, and his smile grew. “Thanks.” His eyes flicked down, then back to Tony’s face. “You look great, too.”

Tony spread his arms. “Thanks, I know. I always do.” Steve laughed, and Tony felt a warmth in his chest. “Well, should we get going?”

Steve nodded. “Right. Let’s go, then.”

Tony gave a nervous laugh as they made their way to the car. “I’d give you flowers, but we already did that.” He opened the passenger side door for Steve, and did a fake bow. “Your highness.”

“Why, thank you.”

The car ride was mostly silent apart from the music Tony had on, but it was a comfortable silence. About halfway there, Steve rested his hand on Tony’s thigh, and Tony looked over at him with a soft smile. They still didn’t say anything for the rest of the trip, but they didn’t have to.

“So,” Tony said as they stepped out, “here we are. I hope you like Italian.”

Steve blinked at the little restaurant, a small smile breaking out over his face. “I do. This looks nice, Tony.”

Tony beamed. He opened the door to the restaurant, and extended an arm. “Well, after you.” 

Steve raised an eyebrow, and went in, Tony right behind him.

They were seated almost immediately, and Steve looked around appreciatively. “This is the kind of place that makes me want to paint something,” he said, turning to Tony. “It’s amazing. Good choice.”

Tony ducked his head, trying to hide his pleased smile. “I’m glad you like it.”

They chatted for a bit while they looked at the menus, and Steve grinned.

“You know, when I told Sam, Nat, and Clint about this, they all freaked out. Then they wouldn’t stop making fun of me.” He sighed. “The things I do for you.”

Tony laughed. “Well, I’m glad you still decided to come after the horrible bullying you were subjected to.” 

Steve shrugged. “Anything for you.”

Tony’s eyes widened, and he sat there, slightly stunned, unable to keep the grin off his face. He hesitantly moved his hand across the table, and rested it on Steve’s, who smiled, and entwined their fingers.

They stared into each other’s eyes, and Tony felt warmth bloom in his chest. This felt intimate in a way that Tony had never experienced before, even with Pepper. God, Steve’s eyes were so beautiful, he never wanted to look away.

They were interrupted by the waiter, who seemed apologetic as he took their orders. Tony pulled his hand away from Steve’s, the moment having passed.

“So,” Steve said after a strange minute of silence, not quite awkward but not completely comfortable, “remember how I said yesterday that I’d tell you how amazing you are?”

Tony blinked, and ducked his head. He heard Steve laugh, and he looked up again, giving Steve a small smile.

“Well, I’m keeping that promise.” Steve leaned in slightly, an earnest look on his face. “For starters, you’re...god, you’re so kind, and selfless, and...when you walk into a room, I can’t help but smile. Talking to you makes everything seem okay, for a little bit.” 

Tony stared. Kind? Selfless? He blinked away the tears he hadn’t noticed were forming in his eyes. In his thirty-seven years of life, no one had ever called him selfless. Most would say that he was the opposite. How did Steve of all people look at Tony, and think all of this? 

_It’s because he doesn’t know who you are,_ his mind whispered, and Tony shook his head. He had to tell Steve, before he got too deep, found out who Tony was, and regretted everything. Tony had to stop this now, when it would hurt the least-

“Tony? Are you okay?” Tony’s eye’s snapped up to see Steve’s concerned face. “Did..did I say something wrong?”

Tony just then noticed that there was a tear rolling down one cheek. “I...” He sniffed, wiping his face. “I just- no one’s ever said anything like this...about me.” Well, that was true. Just not the whole reason.

Steve’s eyes widened. “Tony,” he said softly, “how on earth is that true? You- you’re one of the most amazing people I’ve ever met.”

Tony gave a slightly bitter smile. “You haven’t met all of me.”

“Well, I’m sure when I do, I’ll still like you as much as I do.”

Tony bit his lip, and looked away, wiping away fresh tears. Goddamnit, he couldn’t do it. He couldn’t let Steve know who he was. This...he couldn’t lose this.

“Anyway, you didn’t let me finish,” Steve said, squeezing Tony’s hand. “You’re also clearly brilliant, and you’re funny, you can always make me laugh, even when I’m down, and...” he paused, voice turning hushed, “you’re absolutely beautiful.”

Tony beamed. “Steve...” he said softly, “you’re going to make me cry again, you menace.”

Steve laughed. “You’ve figured out my evil plan.”

They were interrupted by the arrival of the food, and though they didn’t talk for a bit, their eyes kept meeting, and they’d trade smiles and soft looks.

Tony couldn’t remember ever being happier.

When the bill came, Tony took it, causing Steve to frown at him.

“I can pay, Tony,” he said, and Tony shook his head.

“I’ve got it, Steve, seriously. Besides, I’m the one who asked you out, and I drove us here. C’mon.”

Steve sighed, but didn’t press the matter. Tony was grateful for that.

Tony was silent when they got back to the car, lost in thought. The date had gone well, and if he was honest, he was hoping it would end with a kiss, at least. He glanced at Steve out of the corner of his eye. Shit, would Steve even want to kiss him? Maybe he hadn’t enjoyed himself and was just being nice. Tony had probably made a fool of himself, and now-

“Tony,” Steve said, interrupting Tony’s internal panic. “I can tell you’re worried about something.” He leaned a little closer, resting his hand on Tony’s thigh. “I don’t know what it is, but if you’re worried about the date...I think it went well. And,” he added, smiling, “it’s not over yet.”

Tony relaxed slightly, letting out a breath he hadn’t noticed he was holding. “Yeah,” he said softly, “I know. I’m sorry, I just overthink everything, and work myself into a panic. I can’t help it.” He didn’t look at Steve, not wanting to see a pitied expression.

“Tony...” Steve sighed. “If you weren’t driving a car right now, I’d hug you.”

Tony laughed, surprising himself. He looked over at Steve, smiling, then turned back to the road.

“Thanks, Steve,” he said after a few minutes of silence. “I..I really appreciate it. Everything.”

Steve didn’t say anything, just squeezed Tony’s leg. It was enough.

When they got back to their street, Tony parked in front of his house, and grinned at Steve. “I’ll walk you to your door, because I’m a gentleman.”

Steve snorted, but smiled and let it happen as Tony placed a hand on his elbow and gently lead him to his front door. They both paused, when they got there, fidgeting nervously. It was dark out, but the porch light had come on automatically, bathing them in a soft glow. Tony stared at Steve, unable to look away. He was just...beautiful.

Steve turned to Tony with a soft smile. “Well, I had a nice time,” he said, cheeks pink. 

“Yeah,” Tony agreed, a grin spreading across his face, “I did too.” He paused, shifting his feet. “Would you like to..do it again some time?” 

“Yeah.” Steve stepped closer. “I’d love that.”

Tony’s breath hitched. Steve was barely a foot away, close enough to-

“I’ve liked you for a while,” Tony said dumbly, and Steve laughed.

“I have, too,” he said softly, leaning in, and Tony could feel his breath against his face. Steve’s gaze flicked down to Tony’s lips for a split second, and he gave a tiny smile. “May I?” He whispered.

Tony, unable to speak, his heart pounding out of his chest, just nodded, and then Steve was kissing him, and his brain short-circuited, because, holy shit, Steve was _kissing him,_ and it just felt so damn right. After a second, he realized that he wasn’t doing anything, and he moved his lips with Steve’s, bringing a hand up and resting it on the man’s chest.

After what could have been hours or seconds, Steve pulled away, and Tony couldn’t open his eyes for a moment, his mind still struggling to catch up.

Did that really just happen?

“I...” he whispered, “Steve?”

“Yeah?”

“Can we do that again?”

Steve laughed, put his hands on Tony’s waist, and kissed him. Tony made a tiny, desperate noise, and wrapped his arms around Steve’s neck, deepening the kiss. Steve smiled into it, putting his arms around Tony and bringing him closer. Steve tasted like mint, and he was warm and smelled good, and Tony had never felt happier. 

When they finally broke apart, Tony, breathing heavily, rested his head on Steve’s chest, bringing his arms down to wrap around his waist. “This is nice,” he said softly, and Steve gave a small chuckle.

“Yeah. I-“ Steve paused, shifting his feet. “Uh, would you like to come in for a bit?”

Tony looked up with a smile. “Yeah. I’d like that.”

Steve unlocked the door, and they went in, abandoning their jackets and shoes. Tony collapsed on the couch, pulling Steve down on top of him. They laughed, and kissed again, and again, and again, until Tony couldn’t think of anything but the feeling of Steve’s mouth on his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh! Finally, the date! Did it live up to your expectations?
> 
> Eek again, sorry it took so long! I don’t know why it was giving me so much trouble. Next chapter will hopefully be up soon! It definitely won’t take as long as this one did.
> 
> Thanks for continuing to read! Comments and kudos make my day <3


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait, guys. I have not abandoned this fic! It’s my baby and even tho it’s kinda ugly and smells weird I love it.
> 
> I’ll try to be more consistent with my updates,,,cant promise anything though 😔
> 
> edit- I just realized there are 101 kudos on this? Oh my god? Thank you! That makes me so happy - I honestly never expected that. I’m so glad other people are enjoying this.

Tony woke up in someone’s arms.

He kept his eyes closed, savouring the warmth and safety of the moment. Rain fell gently outside—he heard it pattering against the leaves through the open window, tapping on the glass—and a cool breeze brushed across his face.

He sighed, and turned over, pressing his face into a warm, bare chest. Then he remembered what happened last night.

Tony pulled away and looked up, eyes widening. Sure enough, Steve was staring down at him with sleepy eyes, and he smiled as Tony looked at him.

“Morning,” Steve said, his voice a rumble. Tony couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face.

“Good morning.”

Steve gave a happy sigh, and kissed Tony’s forehead. “Thank you,” he whispered, “I haven’t woken up this happy in a long time.”

Tony squeezed his eyes shut, and buried his face in Steve’s neck. “Thank _you,”_ he replied, voice muffled, “for...I don’t know. Everything.”

Steve’s arms tightened around him. “We should get up. Make breakfast.”

Tony sighed. “Let’s stay here for a little while longer. Here is warm and safe and comfortable.”

Steve didn’t reply, but brought a hand up to stroke Tony’s hair.

“Yeah,” he said after a few moments of silence, “I agree.”

They stayed in bed until noon.

###

Tony sat at the table on his phone, looking at a report Pepper had sent him the night before. At the stove, Steve hummed along with the radio, cracking another egg into the pan.

Tony listened to it sizzle, debating on whether or not he should tell Pepper and Rhodey about what happened, but deciding to wait until he and Steve decided on something. With a sigh, he put his phone down, and got up, walking over to Steve and wrapping his arms around his waist. Steve chuckled as Tony buried his face between his shoulder blades, and turned around, abandoning the eggs to lean down and kiss Tony.

Tony hummed appreciatively, and would have liked to keep going, but he stepped away and pointed behind Steve with raised eyebrows. “Eggs,” he reminded, and Steve sighed, pretending to be annoyed.

“Eggs,” Steve agreed, turning back around. Tony sighed, resting his head on Steve’s back for a bit longer, listening to the quiet music, the rain outside, and the birds. _God, what did I do to deserve this?_ he thought, absentmindedly tapping his fingers against Steve’s stomach.

What _had_ Tony done to deserve this? This house, this happiness, this wonderful man making eggs and gently swaying along to the song on the radio. Tony swallowed. He hadn’t done anything good to deserve this. Soon, Steve would find out who he was, what he’d done, be rightly horrified, and cut Tony out of his life.

Tony bit his lip. He should tell Steve, now, because even if it hurt, it would hurt way more later on. Steve was far too good for him. He deserved someone better.

Tony took a breath, and steeled himself for what was about to happen. “Steve,” he began hesitantly, “there’s something I need to tell you.”

Steve paused. “Can it wait until after breakfast?”

“Yeah,” Tony said quickly, “yeah. That’s fine.”

Steve nodded, and continued what he was doing, flipping an egg. Tony let out a breath, a slimy feeling beginning to make itself known. Feeling guilty about how relieved he was, he slowly shuffled back to the table, sitting down and watching Steve as he got two plates out of a cabinet.

Picking at the placemat in front of him, Tony avoided Steve’s eyes as he put a loaded plate in front of him. “Thanks,” he said, smiling tiredly. Steve nodded, a little furrow appearing on his brow, and sat down across from Tony.

They ate mostly in silence, though it was surprisingly comfortable. When they had both cleared their plates, Tony began to feel the familiar crawl of anxiety. He stood up to bring his plate over to the sink and wash it, suddenly desperate to move. He could feel Steve’s eyes on him as he ran the water, and tried not to fidget.

“Tony?”

He flinched. “Yeah?”

Suddenly, Steve was behind him, a gentle hand on his shoulder. “What did you want to tell me?”

“Uh.” Tony looked down at the plate in his hands, blanking. “I, uh-“

“It’s okay, you don’t have to-“

“Are you okay with this?” he blurted out, and winced. He risked looking at Steve, who blinked at him.

“What do you mean?”

Tony shifted his feet. “I mean...” he sighed. “Shit.” He scrubbed his hand over his face. “Are you...ready to be in a relationship...?”

Steve froze, and looked down at the ground. Tony took a step back, instantly regretting his words.

“I’m sorry. I just- I want to make sure you’re comfortable, and-“

Steve squeezed his shoulder, and he shut his mouth, ready to bolt. 

“Tony, I...” Steve sighed. “Honestly? I’m not sure I’m ready.” He looked up at Tony, a tiny smile on his face. “I do know, though, that I really, really like you. I want this to work out.”

Tony nodded slowly, and gently reached up to touch Steve’s face, warm under his fingers. “Okay,” he said softly. “I really like you too, I- I also want this to work out. But if you ever feel uncomfortable, or anything like that, _please_ tell me.” 

Steve leaned into his touch, closing his eyes. “Okay,” he whispered. “I will.”

“We’ll go slow.” Maybe Tony shouldn’t have put out on the first date.

“Yeah. That’s probably a good idea.”

“Okay.” Tony nodded. “...want to go cuddle on the couch?”

Opening one eye, Steve smiled. “Sure.”

A few minutes later, warm in Steve’s arms, Tony tried to ignore the guilt burning through him. He had to tell Steve...but also, now was not a good time. It could wait. Right?

With a sigh, he gently kissed Steve’s jaw, earning a happy hum.

“Wanna go on another date, soon?” Steve asked, mumbling. Tony smiled.

“I’d love to.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, Tony.
> 
> thanks for continuing to read <3
> 
> comments and kudos make my day!


End file.
